Type-writing machine.



Li TYPE wr'nms MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Dec. 19. 19n- 1 Patented leb. 2 1919.

' '3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. G. LATTA. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. 1911.

Patented Feb.2-5,1919.

' 3 SHEETSSHEE|' 2 'E. G. LATTA. TYPE WRITING MACl-HN-Ew APPLICATION FILED DEC. L9. I'QI-I Patented Feb. 25', 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHE E T 3- and Z A TMRWZ Y5.

P a l) TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed as, 1813, serial No. 765,581. Divided and this application filed December 19, 1917. Serial No. 207,935.

1' '9 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EMMIT G. LA'r'rA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of @nondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a spec1 fication. I

This invention relates to improvements in typewriting machines and more particularly' to the means employed in front strike or visible writing typewriters for vibrating and otherwise controlling the action of the ink ribbon. This application is a division of my application on which Patent Number 1,253,258, issued Jan. 15, 1918.

The'object of the invention is to provide.

desirable and practical means of novel and simple construction for this purpose, and to otherwise improve the construction of typewriting machines in the respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

.In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional ele-' vation of a typewriting machine embodying the invention, in line 1-1, Fig. 2.

, Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly in section, omitting the carriage, and showing a difierent position of the mechanism for changing the throw of the ribbon vibrator.

Figp' is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the margin stop mechanism, showing the abutment in position 1;? clear the margin sto I ig. i is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation of the margin stop mechanism in line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fi 5 is a plan View on :an enlarged scale,

part y in section, of the ribbon vibrating mechanism, showing the parts inthesame position as in Fig. i.

A represents the stationary or main frame B the paper platen, and C one of the series of pivoted type-bars of the machine. These parts may be of any suitable construc- .tion.

As shown, the main frame is provided with a top plate a which is detachably sccured in place by screws, or other fastenings. The platen B, as usual, is journaled on a carriage arranged to travel horizontally crosswise of the machine. The complete carriage is not shown, as it is not essential frame, and are adapted to swing upwardly and rearwardly to make the impressions at the front portion of the platen. Each typebar is provided with a plurality oftype, and the carriage is adapted to be shifted to place the platen in printing relation with one or another of the sets of type on the type-bars.

The platen carriage is supported and adapted to travel horizontallon a shift frame D which is adapted to e shifted and down for placing the platen in position for printing with one or another of the dif- Patented Feb. 25,1919,

feren-t sets of type. The shift frame is mounted so as to move substantially vertically up and down by supporting means in the nature of a parallel link motion consisting of upper and lower swinging links, I members or parts F and G, each ofwhich is pivoted to the main frame and to the shift frame.

The shift frame D shown consists'cf an open cradle-like casting'of rectangular form which has projections d d extending, respectively, forwardly and rearwardly from the middle portion of the frame, and is provided with opposed parallel hardened steel race bars or tracks (i d between which and complementary race bars or tracks on the base bar 35 of the carriage are arranged ball bearings b which support the carriage and guide it in its horizontal travel on the shift frame. The front projection d supports the ribbon guide or vibrator and the carriage escapement is mounted on the rear projection (Z 3 I The shifting mechanism shown for moving the shift frame to shift the platen'from one to another of its printing positions comprises a shifting cam I which is suitably pivoted at its lower end on the lower rear part of the type-bar segment, and an "antiios on the leg or member E of the shift frame and enters the cam slot of the cam I. The cam slot has an inclined middle portion for shifting the shiftframe and end portions shaped to prevent the shift frame and platen v rock on the rear ends of shift levers K which are pivoted between their ends and are'provided at their front ends with operating finger keys. When either of the shift keys is depressed the shaft K is rocked and acts through the arm is and link is to move the cam I rearwardly and force the roller upwardly, thus moving the shift frame support, together with the shift frame and carriage supported thereby from the normal or lower position to the upper or shifted position. A spring 70 coiled about the rock shaft K acts to start the cam from its locked shifted position as soon as the shift key is released, and then the weight of the shift frame and carriage causes the return of these parts to the normal positions.

. L represents an abutment. adapted to be struck by margin stops on the carriage for limiting the horizontal travel of the carriage. Z indicates one of the margin stops, two of which are employed, adjustably secured on the front or scale bar I) of the carriage at opposite sides of the abutment. The abutment L is located in a vertical opening Z in the central front projection d of the shift frame and is fixed to the inner end of a shaft Z which is suitably journaled on, the front portion of the shift frame. A spring I, Fig. 2, coiled about the shaft Z acts to normally hold the front end of the abutment up in line with the margin stops as seen in Fig.1, and also holds it in the right hand portion of the opening Z. The abutment shaft is provided at its outer end with a rigid arnr Z which depends from the shaft in rear ofthe upright rear end of a rod M which extends forwardly to the keyboard and is provided at its front end with a push key By pushing this key rearwardly the ing the frontend of the abutment L out of rear end of. the rod M will engage the arm Z: and rock the shaft, thereby lower the path of movement oft-he margin stops. A suitable spring m, Figs. land 3, re-

I turns-the push rod M to-irs normal forward position, v The abutment and its shaft shiftywiththe shift frame when the latter is raised or lowered, but the lower 'end of the arm Z is opposite the rear end of the push rod M in both positions of the shift frame so that the inward movement of the push key m will move the abutment to clear the ma'rginstops in just the same way in both positions of the shift frame.

N represents a ribbon guide or vibrator mounted to reciprocate vertically on the front projection d of the shift frame, and a is a vibrator lever for actuating the ribbon vibrator. The vibrator lever is fulcrumed beneath the abutment L in the forked upper end. of the leg E of the shift frame and as seen in Fig. 1 has a short horn 91/ adapted, in one position of the abutment, to be engaged by a depending lug n on the abutment. In the normal position of the abutment, shown in Figs. 1 and' l, the horn n on the vibrator lever is located at one side of the lug n on the abutment, and does not preventthe vibration of the vibrator lever. When, however, the margin stop at the right of the abutment L strikes the latter it moves the ab 'tment to the left against the action of the spring Z thereby placing the'lug n of the abutment directly over the horn n of the vibrator lever and locking the vibrator lever against movement. As the vibrator lever is connected to the universal-bar which actuates the carriage escapement, as

riage escapement, and forms what is commonly known as a line lock to prevent over- S printing at the end of a line. If the abutment is lowered to clear the margin stop, as before explained, the spring I will return the abutment to theright to its normal position, thereby releasing the escapement or line look. But the abutment will be held down by the overlying margin stop and a few more characters can be printed, if desired. When the carriage is set back for a new line the spring Z will return the abutment to its normal elevated position as soon as it clears the margin stop, the abutment thus being ready to again arrest the travel of the. carriage. at the left of the established margin, the abutment is held down by the push key m while the carriage is set over to the right as far as desired, and as soon as the carriage has moved back to the left far enough for the abutment to clear the left hand margin stop, the abutment will spring up into normal position readyto lock the line by intercepting the opposite margin stop.

The universal bar 0 or element for causing the operation of the ribbon vibrator and carriage escapement when the tn e bars are actuated and the actuators P foi the universal bar are arranged much the same as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1018,06), granted February 20, 1912, to Oscar C. Kavle, assignor, but instead of the universal bar being mounted on the underside of the YVhen it is desired to print .head of the leg gees "vided with upright rear extremities 39 adapted to engage the laterally enlarged extremities of arms p depending from the universal bar for rocking the samewhen the actuatdrs are operated by the type-bars. The extremities 'p of the rods p project high enough to engage the arms p and operate the universal, bar in both positions of the shift frame. As the arms 12 are nor- .mally out of contact with the actuator rods 11 there islno friction between these parts when the shift frame is shifted- Q represents arearwa-rdly extending arm or lever fixed to the universal bar for actuating the carriage escapement, to WhlCll th1s arm isconnected by means not shown, and

R represents a lever which is actuated by the arm Q arid-is connected by a link 7* to the vibrator lever for operating the latter. The

' lever R is pivoted at its rear end bya pin or. rivet rto the arm Q and has a hole 1 through whlch the universal oar passes and which is large enough to receive a sliding sleeve 9 on the universal bar. This sleeve is a-da ted to be slid lengthwise on the univerar til -a position in which it projects through the hole r in the lever R and its conicalend enters .a corresponding recess 1n sal . the hub ofthe arm Q. The lever It also has i a. hole 1" adapted to receive a fulcrum pin 8 o the machine.

which is secured to a rod 8 and extends parallel with the universal bar. The rod S is arranged to slide endwise parallel with the universal bar in guide holes in the brackets 0 andLis provided with a forked collar or part .9 which straddles a flange on the sleeve 1 whereby the sleeve is slid on the universal bar when the slide rod 8 is moved endwise. The collar 8" is fixed on the rod and has a pin 8 that depends therefrom into a hole in the inner end of a rod 8 which is mounted to more endwise on the underside of the top plate a and is connected by a crank or eccentric to a rotatable o era-ting shaft T extending to the front By turning the shaft T the rod S can he slid to move the sleeve 9* into and the pin 8 out of engagement with the lever B, or vice versa. The pin 8 slides in a fixed lug or bearing .9 on the shift frame and this prevents the rod S from turnin and retains the pin a in the hole in p, p E; I

the actuating rod 8 and compels the rod S and sleeve r to move lengthwise only as actuated by the shaft T.

8 Fig. 1, indicates a spring connecting the lever B to the shift frame for restoring the universal bar and the connected levers to normal position after actuation. In the posi-' tion of the parts shown in Fig. 5, the sleeve 7* is seated in its hole in the lever B and the fulcrum pin a is withdrawn from its hole in the lever. The lever R is then rigidly connected to the arm Q to swing therewith as one part, and produces the proper throw of the vibrator lever to move the lower field or portion of the ribbon to and from printing position. When the slide rod is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 the lever B will swing on the pin 8 as a fulcrum, being actuatedby the pivot 9" connecting it to the arm Q. The hole 7 in the lever B is large enough to allow the lever to swing on the fulcrum 8 when the sleeve 1' 1s moved out of the hole. The throw of the lever B will then be shortened to the requisite extent to vibrate the upper field or portion of the ribbon 'to and from printing position. This mechanism thus permits the use of a multi*' color ribbon, or ribbon having two different kinds of fields or portions.

Since the universal bar, the carriage escapement, the ribbon vibrator and theconnections between the same are all mounted on and; shift with the shift frame there is no relative movement and friction between the parts when the platen if shifted. This construction also permits all of these parts to remain in place on the shift frame and be removed therewith from the machine." The top plate a "of the main frame has an open central portion through which these parts pass when removing the shift frame. The push rod M and actuating rod 8 remain on the top plate a when the shift frame and the carriage are detached, and when the shift frame is returned the pin enters the hole? in the rod and the arm assumes the proper relation to the push rod M without attention. There is sufficient clearance between the pin and rod 8 and between the arm Z and push rod M-to'prcvent friction betweeirthc parts when the shift frame is shifted.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typewriting machine, a roc shaft, means for rocking said shaft at the type strokes, a ribbon vibrator, an arm fixed on said shaft, a loosely mounted arm operatively connected to the ribbon vibrator, means for connecting said two arms rigidly together or loosely at will, and a fulcrum on which said loose arm swings when loosely connected to the fixed arm.

2. In a typewriting machine, a rock shaft, means for rocking said shaft at the type strokes,-a ribbon'vibrator, an arm fixed on said shaft, a second arm pivoted to said fixed arm and operatively connected to the ribbon vibrator, a fulcrum for said second arm, and means for freeing said second arm from said fulcrum and rigidly connecting it with said fixed arm.

3. .In a typewriting machine, a rock shaft, means for rocking said shaft at the type stroke, a. ribbon vibrator, an arm fixed on said shaft, a second arm pivoted to said fixed arm and operatively connected to the ribbon vibrator, a fulcrum for said second arm spaced from said shaft, and means for shifting said fulcrum out of connection with said second arm and rigidly connecting the latter with said fixed arm.

4. In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, and escapement mechanism therefor, an oscillating universal bar, means for oscillating the universal bar, an arm fixed on said universal bar and operatively connected to the escapement, a second arm adjacent said fixed arm, means for rigidly connecting the two arms together or for loosely connecting them at will, and a ribbon vibrator actuated by said second arm.

In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, and escapement mechanism therefor, a ribbon vibrator, an oscillating universal bar, means for oscillating the universal bar, an arm fixed on the universal bar and operatively connected to the escapement, a second arm operatively connected to the ribbon vibrator and pivotally connected to said fixed arm, and a movable fulcrum for the second arm.

6. In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage,'and escapement mechanism therefor, a ribbon vibrator, an oscillating universal bar, means for oscillating the universal bar, an arm fixed on the universal bar and operatively connected to the escapement, a second arm having pivotal connection with said fixed arm and operatively connected to the ribbon vibrator, and a sleeve movable 0n the universal bar and acting as a detachable connection between the u iersal bar and said second arm.

7., In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, an escapement mechanism therefor, and a series of upwardly and rearwardly swinging type-bars; a ribbon vibrator, an oscillating universal bar actuated by the type-bars and op'eratively connected to the escapement, a sleeve arranged on the universal bar, a loosely mounted arm pivotally connected to the universal bar outside of said sleeve, and means for moving the sleeve along the universal bar for connecting said arm rigidly with the universal bar and for operatively connecting said loosely mounted arm to the ribbon vibrator.

8. In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, an escapement mechanism therefor, and a series of upwardly and rearplaten carriage,

wardly swinging type-bars, tor, an oscillating universal bar actuated by the type-bars and operatively connected to the escapement, through which said universal bar loosely passes and which is operatively connected to the universal bar beyond said hole, a sleeve slidable on the universal bar, means for holding the sleeve in or out of said hole in the arm, and a fulcrum for said arm when said sleeve is out of said hole in the arm.

9. In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, an escapement mechanism therefor, a series of upwardly and rearwardly swinging type-bars, and a ribbon vibrator, an oscillating universal bar actuated by the type-bars, an arm fixed on the a ribbon vibraan arm which has a hole universal bar and operatively connected to w 'the escapement, and a second arm loosely universal bar actuated by the type-bars, an

arm fixedon the universal bar and operatively connected to the escapement, a ribbon vibrator, a second arm loosely mounted on the universal bar and operatively connect mg said fixed arm to the ribbon vibrator,

and a movable fulcrum for the second arm.

11. In a typewriting machine having a and escapement mechanism therefor, a ribbon vibrator, an oscillating universal bar, an arm fixed on said universal 'bar and operatively connected to the escapement, a second arm pivotal-1y connected to said fixed arm and operatively connected to .the ribbon vibrator, and means for lock-' ing said second arm to vcrsal bar at will.

12. In a typewriting machine having a platen carriage, and escapement mechanism therefor, a ribbon vibrator, a series of upwardly and rearwardly swinging type-bars, an oscillating universal bar actuated by the type-bars and having a fixed arm operatively connected to the escapement, and a second arm mounted on the universal bar and forming a lost motion connection with the ribbon vibrator.

13..In a typewriting machine, the combination with key-actuated type-bars, a platen carriage, a ribbon vibrator, and means for actuating the vibrator at the key strokes, of a rocking and longitudinally movable memher acting to automatically lock the vibrator at the end of the line, and means extending to the front part of the machine for rocking said member to unlock the vibrator.

14. In a typewriting'machine, the combination with key-actuated type-bars, a platen carriage, a carriage track, and ribbon vithe oscillating unibrating mechani sm actuated at thekey' strokes, of a sliding rod extending from the central part of the carriage track toward one of its ends and acting to lock the vibrator at the end of the hue, and means'extending from the outer end of saidmslidingr...

nation with key-actuated type-bars','a131atn' carriage, a ribbon vibrator, and means for vibrating the ribbon vibrator at the key strokes, of a member actuated by the carriage to lock the ribbon vibrator at the end of the line and having a rigid rocking extension extending to the side of the machine, and means extending to the front art of the machine for actuating said mem' er to unlock the ribbon vibrator.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with key-actuated type-bars, a platen carriage, a ribbon vibrator, and means for vibrating the ribbon vibrator at the key strokes, of a stop on the carriage, an abutment which engages said stop to arrest the carriage at the end of the' line,-; a rock shaft connected to said abutment and extending substantially in the direction of travel of the carriage, said abutment being moved bodily by saidstop: to 'a'" position to lock the ribbon vibrator, and means for rocking said rock shaft to move'said abutment to unlock the ribbon vibrator.

Witness my hand,

this 15th day of December, 1917.

EMMITG. LATTA.

Witnesses:

LURA B. LA'rrA, S. G. SOHLACHTER. 

